REVIEWS – “Breath & Imagination” at the Colony Theatre

Breath and Imagination Saundra McClain’s inspiring staging traces the transformation of Hayes (Elijah Rock) from impoverished son of former slaves-turned-tenant farmers to international sensation….opens the Colony Theatre’s 39th season on a high note. ~ LATimes

Breath and Imagination as a perfect theatrical gem, overflowing with simplicity and wisdom. Now onstage at the Colony Theatre, Breath and Imagination soars with a brilliant cast and smooth direction from Saundra McClain through October 13….cleanly balanced and emotionally evocative as a thrilling musical composition. Spirituals and other classical pieces are sung throughout the 90-minute play, and the action flows seamlessly from scene to song to scene with a melodic rhythm that never lets up. …Guided by McClain’s fluid staging,

The play and this production of it offer a little bit of magic, which is what the theatre is all about. Bravo once more to the Colony and its insistence on presenting great quality theatre. ~ 5 out of 5 stars…Grigware Reviews

Director SAUNDRA McCLAIN kept the audience riveted on her characters whether they were singing or talking. By making her characters’ struggles so vivid, Saundra makes their heroism as visible as their talent. Everything about Breath and Imagination works. We in 2013 Burbank, an audience of all races coming together in the Colony Theatre, had just received an unforgettable “conservatory” lesson on what it means to be a transformative singer. And we gave an extended, tear-streaked standing ovation to a performance that put “breath and imagination” into a great man’s life, one that deserves a much larger place in our collective American memory. I’ve been to Broadway and London’s West End. The Colony’s Breath and Imagination would be a credit to either of these iconic venues. ~ MyBurbank.com

The Colony Theatre’s Breath and Imagination is one of the finest shows on offer in greater LA. It’s one of the finest shows Burbank has ever seen.